What are the visa stay dates for a Non-Imm O-A visa holder in Thailand and when should I apply for an extension?

Aug 26, 2021
3 years ago
Question regarding the visa dates.

1 Situation, 3 dates:

I am a 51 y/o Canadian on a Non-Imm O-A.

My visa sticker is valid from Nov.20 2020 until Nov.19 2021.

My entry date stamp is 05 Dec 2020 and has the written date 03-12-2021 on the "Until" line.

I just did my 90 days report using the application and It says valid until Nov.19 2021.

Which is it? I can stay until Dec 03 or Nov 19?

Now, I will do a extension request. What is my best strategy?

Should I do it as soon as possible or wait as late as possible?

What will be the new date? Will it be an extension adding 12 months to my actual visa, taking me to Nov. 19 2022 ?

Or will it be a year from the date of extension approval ?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The main query concerns the confusion over the expiry dates related to a Non-Immigrant O-A visa in Thailand, specifically for a Canadian holder. The visa sticker is valid until November 19, 2021, whereas the entry date stamp allows stay until December 3, 2021. The advice given clarifies that the stamp dictates the duration of stay. It is recommended to apply for an extension of stay before December 3 or exit and re-enter Thailand if it's before the visa's expiry. The extension would allow for a continued stay up to a year from the new stamp date if extending; thus, planning and understanding visa regulations are crucial.
Tod *********
@Jean-Francois *********
you are confusing TWO completely different things.

You hold a valid Non-O-A VISA (the sticker in your passport that you got from the thai consulate in your country).

HOWEVER

It's the tiny red entry stamp that lets you stay here. You are allowed to stay until Dec 3, 2021 on it

You have two options;

Exit re-enter the country on or before the date the VISA (sticker) expires (Nov 19 2021) and get a new year entry stamp (if you have covid and health insurance for another year

OR

Go to the immigration office and apply for a yearly extension of stay before the 3rd of Dec by showing you have 800K baht in the bank account for 2 months before you apply for the extension AND by having the 40k/400k mandatory health insurance by one of the 15 approved OA insurance carriers here in thailand.
Jean-Francois **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
what you are saying is that I could automatically get a a stamp for another year from my entry date.

Then what? Can I exit and re-enter Thailand during that added year 2022 despite that I will be past the visa date of November 19th 2021?

If Visa sticker = right to enter, red entry stamp = right to stay, then it seems that I would loose my right to enter (Re-entry) again past November 19th 2021 even if I have the right to stay (red entry stamp) until sometimes in 2022
Tod *********
@Jean-Francois *********
Before this covid shit show most people on O-A visas would exit/re-enter just before the visa sticker expired to get another year entry stamp and that way you can get almost TWO years of stay from a visa that is valid for a year.

AND if during that 'second year' you wanted to leave come back you'd just buy a re-entry permit before you left and when you came back you'd get stamped in until the previous entry stamp expired (as long as you met the entry requirements)
Tod *********
@Jean-Francois *********
you have a year long multi-entry non-OA visa, that visa is good for unlimited entries during the validity with each entry allowing you to get up to a year entry stamp (depending on the validity of your covid and health insurance)

IF you exited/re-entered the country on or before the 19th of Nov <- the date the VISA sticker expires you'd get stamped in for a whole new year as long as you had a year's worth of covid and health insurance.
Jean-Francois **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
,
@Kool ******
. I am actually planning to exit Thailand and return before Dec 03, 2021. I understand that I will have to get another COE and probably do a quarantine or at least a Phuket or Samui Sandbox. But what you are saying is that I would not need to apply for an extension instead I would automatically get a a stamp for another year from my entry date ????

Then what? Can I exit and re-enter Thailand during that added year 2022 despite that I will be past the visa date of November 19th 2021?

If Visa = right to enter, stamp = right to stay, then it seems that I would loose my right to enter again past November 19th 2021?
Frédéric ******************
@Jean-Francois *********
You'll need to come back before November 19 and you'll get another year. If you plan to leave during that second year, you should apply for a re-entry permit at the immigration before leaving.
John ********
Your entry stamp allows you to stay till Dec 3. You can apply for your one year extension 30 days before then. Your visa sticker which gets you into the country, expires Nov 19, if the borders were open, you could do a border bounce before then and receive a stamp for another year, since it is a multi o-a, but since that isn't available, it will simply expire.
Jean-Francois **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
Oh, that explains it. Visa = right to enter, stamp = right to stay.
Keith ********
The 90 day report date is not connected to your visa/extension expiry date. You just need to make another 90 day report before 19 November. Your permission to stay expires on 3 December. You can extend it 30 days or at some offices 45 days in advance. Your extension will run from 3 December, so no disadvantage for applying early.
Keith ********
@Jean-Francois *********
your O-A visa is valid FOR ENTRY to Thailand any time between 20 Nov 2020 and 19 Nov 2021. The visa is valid for one year from the date of entry which was 5 December 2020, therefore your permission to stay expires on 3 December 2021.If you were hypothetically to leave Thailand and return before 19 Nov 2021, as it is a multi entry visa, you would be stamped in for almost a WHOLE YEAR from the date you returned. This is one of the advantages of an O-A visa.
Jean-Francois **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Keith *******
My question is more about the discrepancy between the visa page date and the rubber stamp date.

How can I stay until Dec 03 if my visa expires on Nov. 19 ?
Bob **********
Is this your first year of this visa ??
Jean-Francois **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Peter *************
Go and talk with imigration much easyer
Tod *********
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